The Crime Writers’ Association

ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction

This Dagger is for any non-fiction work on a crime-related theme by an author of any nationality as long as the book was first published in the UK in English during the judging period.

The Dagger encompasses, though is not limited to, non-fiction works relating to historical crime, crime-related biography, crime-fiction literature, true crime and critical studies.


2025 longlist

Author Title Publisher
Jared Cade Secrets From the Agatha Christie Archive Pen & Sword
Chris Chan with Patricia Meyer Chan, Ph.D. The Autistic Sleuth MX Publishing
Jonathan Coffey & Judith Moritz Unmasking Lucy Letby Seven Dials
Jeremy Craddock The Lady in the Lake Mirror Books
John Grisham & Jim McCloskey Framed Hodder & Stoughton
Duncan Harding The Criminal Mind Michael Joseph
Henry Hemming Four Shots in the Night Quercus
Joseph Hone The Book Forger Chatto & Windus
Emma Kenny The Serial Killer Next Door Sphere
Lynda LaPlante Getting Away with Murder Zaffre
Jane Rosenberg Drawn Testimony Manilla Press
Kate Summerscale The Peepshow: The Murders at 10 Rillington Place Bloomsbury Circus

ALCS Gold Dagger for Non-fiction 2024 Winner


Nicholas Shakespeare

Ian Fleming: The Complete Man

Vintage

Judges’ Comments
In this panoramic biography of the creator of the most charismatic 20th century hero, Nicholas Shakespeare adroitly shows how James Bond emerged from Fleming’s own life and career, both as reflection and compensation. … More


The 2025 Judges

Philip Gooden (Chair)

Philip writes both fiction and non-fiction. His historical novels include the Nick Revill series, set in Elizabethan London and recently republished in a uniform edition.

He also writes books on language, including Faux Pas?, which won the English Speaking Union award for the best English Language book of 2006, and most recently Bad Words, a history of bad language. He was Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association 2007-8.

Michael Smith

Michael Smith served in military intelligence before becoming a journalist with the BBC, the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Times. He is the author of 17 books, including the Sunday Times number one bestseller Station X: The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park.

Mireille Harper

Mireille Harper is Editorial Director of Tonic, a non-fiction lifestyle imprint at Bloomsbury. She is also a writer, sensitivity reader, and communications consultant. She is the author of Timelines from Black History and a contributor to Timelines of EveryoneThe Black History Book and Migrations. Her essay, ‘Why Passivity Will No Longer Do’ is published in Feminist Book Society’s anthology, This Is How We Come Back Stronger. Her writing has been published in British VogueGUAPNataalDigital SpyGood HousekeepingPORT Magazine and more. As a communications consultant, Mireille has worked on campaigns for Bad Form, Punch Records, Content is Queen and BYP Network. Mireille is a trustee of And Other Stories, Africa Writes and Être Girls.

Hamza Jahanzeb 

Hamza Jahanzeb is a freelance publishing professional working in editorial services offering Authenticity Read expertise. He hails from Accrington (Lancs) in the north-west of England, and as a British-Pakistani, he is passionate for equality in the publishing industry. He commissioned Remember Me? by Shobna Gulati (dinnerladiesCoronation Street). A staunch advocate for #BookJobTransparency and co-founding member of the Pride in Publishing initiative, he is a campaigner and activist who seeks to change hiring practices to be more inclusive. He was also chosen as a Bookseller Rising Star of 2020. You can find him on Twitter at @hamzajahanzeb or contact him via his website: www.hamzajahanzeb.co.u


The Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society – Sponsors of the Gold Dagger for Non-fiction

The Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) is a not-for-profit organisation started by writers for the benefit of all types of writers. Owned by its members, ALCS collects money due for secondary uses of writers’ work. It is designed to support authors and their creativity, ensure they receive fair payment and see their rights are respected. It promotes and teaches the principles of copyright and campaigns for a fair deal. It represents over 100,000 members, and since 1977 has paid around £500 million to writers.

www.alcs.co.uk

Join the CWA

Become part of a thriving community of successful crime writers with invaluable support, expertise and marketing opportunities for all our members.


Advertise with us